The couple, along with the North East Essex Building Preservation Trust and the Victorian Society, support attempts by developer Gary Cottee to buy and turn the Grade II listed building into a home.

But church commissioners and the Chelmsford Diocese say the proposals are “not financially viable” and demolition of the church, declared redundant in 1990, will go ahead.

The last hope for campaigners is that communities secretary Eric Pickles could “callin”

the decision for a planning inquiry.

Mr Young said he had both sentimental and practical reasons to support saving St Peter’s Church. He and his wife married there because Julie grew up in the village, went to Birch School opposite, and sang in the church choir.

He said: “I have got some emotional attachment to it, Julie even more so, but that’s not the only reason we want it to be saved.

“It has local support and historical value and it seems all the factors are there for demolition not to go ahead.

“Demolition should be a last resort if there’s no other offer on the table.”

John Spademan, Labour’s candidate for Birch and Winstree ward at the local elections in May, said he believed local opinion was largely in favour of saving the church.

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He said: “It would be a shame to lose such a historic building when somebody has offered to buy it. It’s a landmark for the Birch area. I’ve signed the petition and I fully support the campaign.”

The building preservation trust has launched an online petition to save the church at gopetition.com which has so far attracted more than 370 signatures.

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Comments (7)

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon. If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer. These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down. Get off your gravy-box!

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon.
If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer.
These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down.
Get off your gravy-box!The King of Colchester

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon. If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer. These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down. Get off your gravy-box!

Score: -2

Boris says...1:27am Sat 15 Mar 14

The King of Colchester wrote…

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon. If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer. These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down. Get off your gravy-box!

Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.

[quote][p][bold]The King of Colchester[/bold] wrote:
Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon.
If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer.
These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down.
Get off your gravy-box![/p][/quote]Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.Boris

The King of Colchester wrote…

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon. If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer. These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down. Get off your gravy-box!

Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.

Score: 1

Boris says...1:41am Sat 15 Mar 14

The correct link to the petition, which has now reached well over 800 signatures, is http://www.gopetitio n.com/petitions/save -birch-church/signat ures.html

The correct link to the petition, which has now reached well over 800 signatures, is
http://www.gopetitio
n.com/petitions/save
-birch-church/signat
ures.htmlBoris

The correct link to the petition, which has now reached well over 800 signatures, is http://www.gopetitio n.com/petitions/save -birch-church/signat ures.html

Score: 0

The King of Colchester says...9:52am Sat 15 Mar 14

Boris wrote…

The King of Colchester wrote…

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon. If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer. These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down. Get off your gravy-box!

Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.

I am aware of that. But, of course, it won't be restored. It will be knocked down and the land used for luxury homes. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a mug. I'm neither ignorant or - unlike you - nieve!

[quote][p][bold]Boris[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]The King of Colchester[/bold] wrote:
Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon.
If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer.
These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down.
Get off your gravy-box![/p][/quote]Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.[/p][/quote]I am aware of that. But, of course, it won't be restored. It will be knocked down and the land used for luxury homes. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a mug.
I'm neither ignorant or - unlike you - nieve!The King of Colchester

Boris wrote…

The King of Colchester wrote…

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon. If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer. These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down. Get off your gravy-box!

Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.

I am aware of that. But, of course, it won't be restored. It will be knocked down and the land used for luxury homes. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a mug. I'm neither ignorant or - unlike you - nieve!

Score: -3

G.Speel says...5:09pm Sat 15 Mar 14

Local opinion is obviously bias (as it would honestly be if I lived there). If things are not practical, cost effective & viable in this day and age then they need to change ( not go but just change). How about putting your political efforts into practical problems like badly needed road repairs (which would reduce ECC claims for car repairs), reducing benefit fraud, infrastructure improvements and improving Colchester Town Centre. Get real you lot!

Local opinion is obviously bias (as it would honestly be if I lived there). If things are not practical, cost effective & viable in this day and age then they need to change ( not go but just change). How about putting your political efforts into practical problems like badly needed road repairs (which would reduce ECC claims for car repairs), reducing benefit fraud, infrastructure improvements and improving Colchester Town Centre.
Get real you lot!G.Speel

Local opinion is obviously bias (as it would honestly be if I lived there). If things are not practical, cost effective & viable in this day and age then they need to change ( not go but just change). How about putting your political efforts into practical problems like badly needed road repairs (which would reduce ECC claims for car repairs), reducing benefit fraud, infrastructure improvements and improving Colchester Town Centre. Get real you lot!

Score: 0

Boris says...9:46pm Sat 15 Mar 14

G.Speel wrote…

Local opinion is obviously bias (as it would honestly be if I lived there). If things are not practical, cost effective & viable in this day and age then they need to change ( not go but just change). How about putting your political efforts into practical problems like badly needed road repairs (which would reduce ECC claims for car repairs), reducing benefit fraud, infrastructure improvements and improving Colchester Town Centre. Get real you lot!

Most of us get involved in that stuff as well. We also get involved in other campaigns such as clamping down on the major tax dodgers, and stopping the UK from getting invoilved in yet more wars. What do you do for the community, G.Speel?

[quote][p][bold]G.Speel[/bold] wrote:
Local opinion is obviously bias (as it would honestly be if I lived there). If things are not practical, cost effective & viable in this day and age then they need to change ( not go but just change). How about putting your political efforts into practical problems like badly needed road repairs (which would reduce ECC claims for car repairs), reducing benefit fraud, infrastructure improvements and improving Colchester Town Centre.
Get real you lot![/p][/quote]Most of us get involved in that stuff as well. We also get involved in other campaigns such as clamping down on the major tax dodgers, and stopping the UK from getting invoilved in yet more wars.
What do you do for the community, G.Speel?Boris

G.Speel wrote…

Local opinion is obviously bias (as it would honestly be if I lived there). If things are not practical, cost effective & viable in this day and age then they need to change ( not go but just change). How about putting your political efforts into practical problems like badly needed road repairs (which would reduce ECC claims for car repairs), reducing benefit fraud, infrastructure improvements and improving Colchester Town Centre. Get real you lot!

Most of us get involved in that stuff as well. We also get involved in other campaigns such as clamping down on the major tax dodgers, and stopping the UK from getting invoilved in yet more wars. What do you do for the community, G.Speel?

Score: 0

Boris says...9:57pm Sat 15 Mar 14

The King of Colchester wrote…

Boris wrote…

The King of Colchester wrote…

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon. If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer. These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down. Get off your gravy-box!

Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.

I am aware of that. But, of course, it won't be restored. It will be knocked down and the land used for luxury homes. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a mug. I'm neither ignorant or - unlike you - nieve!

Time will tell.

[quote][p][bold]The King of Colchester[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Boris[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]The King of Colchester[/bold] wrote:
Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon.
If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer.
These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down.
Get off your gravy-box![/p][/quote]Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.[/p][/quote]I am aware of that. But, of course, it won't be restored. It will be knocked down and the land used for luxury homes. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a mug.
I'm neither ignorant or - unlike you - nieve![/p][/quote]Time will tell.Boris

The King of Colchester wrote…

Boris wrote…

The King of Colchester wrote…

Oh surprise, surprise. The Young's jumping on another bandwagon. If they want to save it, they can buy it. The Church of England don't want it. People stopped going to church and it couldn't be maintained any longer. These villagers and local no-marks who want to save the church, are the same as those who never use their village pub only to cry like babies when it closes down. Get off your gravy-box!

Your Majesty, if you had bothered to read the article you would have seen that there has been an offer to buy the church (for over a million pounds as it happens). Nobody is proposing to restore the church as a place of worship. People as ignorant and lazy as you should avoid commenting on stories that they do not understand.

I am aware of that. But, of course, it won't be restored. It will be knocked down and the land used for luxury homes. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a mug. I'm neither ignorant or - unlike you - nieve!

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